U
the ’90s BY JENNIFER
LYNCH
nless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that the ’90s are making a comeback– from fashion-forward fanny packs to Doc Martins, scrunchies, and track suits. But the decade isn’t just spawning old-meets-new fashions. It also means the return of fan-favorite characters and entertainment that ’90s kids, tweens, and teens grew up watching. TFE chatted with CBS Consumer Products’ Executive Vice-President of Global Franchise Management Veronica Hart about how it’s delivering on this retro trend for its top ’90s programs, from Beverly Hills 90210 to the original Charmed series, Twin Peaks, and more. The ’90s are officially in high demand. “Nostalgia continues to prove successful at retail and resonates with consumers in a very sticky way,” Hart says. “I believe trends are cyclical and shift across decades. The ’90s trend is especially strong now because so many parents and consumers were kids during the ’90s and are especially attached to shows they watched in their youth. With so much choice of programming to watch today across broadcasters and streamers, there is something unifying and comforting about going back to the ‘classics’, and these consumers have now introduced these shows to the next generation, which makes them even stronger.” One such program is Beverly Hills 90210, which CBS Consumer Products is currently focusing on as the brand readies for its 30th anniversary year in 2020. Ahead of the anniversary celebration, the group launched a successful pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles this summer, inspired by the original hangout on the show: the Peach Pit. The pop-up diner was developed in coordination with Fox and Pop Sugar to promote the new BH90210 revival and sold out its two-day weekend run in less than an hour. In response to that demand, CBS Consumer Products worked with the team behind the 2018 Saved by the Max pop-up restaurant and Good Burger pop-up, also launched this year, to extend the Peach Pit experience. The pop-up reopened in mid-August and was expected to close at the end of September, as of press time. Hart however noted that more pop-up expansion news was in the pipeline. “We’re also building our mass presence for both the 30th anniversary and in support of the new BH90210 series, in conjunction with partners such as Funko, Jem, and Isaac Morris Ltd, and fragrance with Palm Beach Beauté,” says Hart. CBS Consumer Products has also had DTR programs for the brand (along with Melrose Place and Charmed) across retailers such as Cotton On, Zara, and Tezenis and expanded into cosmetics with Sola Look and into accessories with Bioworld. “’90s shows don’t all fit in one category, there is a broad range of programming that still resonates from that time period,” says Hart. “In our own CBS catalogue, we have Aaron Spelling shows like Charmed, Melrose Place and the iconic Beverly Hills, 90210...On the opposite end of the spectrum we have David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, which is also 30 years old in 2020 and even Star Trek: Voyager launched in 1995. The thing that unifies these shows is that they told stories that hadn’t previously been seen on television, and they feature strong female characters. They are all reminiscent of the time period they were made, which helps tie into the sense of nostalgia for that era in general. It brings fans back to that time of their lives and the classic stories they’ve loved for decades. With the Gen Z audiences buying these products... they are watching the shows for the first time now and feel a connection to the characters, while appreciating the kitsch of the ’90s.”
81 tfe Licensing October 2019
October 2019 tfe Licensing 81